Labornet Japan is a network of citizens, unionists, activists, scholars and others from all walks of life to share information especially about rights and struggles in and outside of Japan. Established in 2001, the group now has more than 500 members, and the membership is growing. The English site introduces some reports shared on Labornet Japan website and other sources outside of Japan.

Monday, September 21, 2015

Ready-mixed Concrete workers wage strikes against the War Bill

Zennikken Solidarity Union, a construction
industry union led by KIKUCHI Susumu with a membership of 3,000, carried
through strikes all around Japan to demand the withdrawal of the cabinet of the
Prime Minister ABE Shinzo as well as the scrapping of the “War Bill” on
September 11, 2015. The strikes were waged in approximately 30 ready-mixed concrete facilites, such as
the Kanto region in which Tokyo, Japan’s capital is located, Shizuoka, and the
Kansai region. In addition, working people in nine prefectures joined the
action by demonstrating and collecting signatures at major railway stations. FUKUSHIMA
Mizuho, the deputy head of the opposition Social Democratic Party, came to the
Hommoku Pier in Yokohama City to support the striking workers. At a concrete
works in Fuji City, Shizuoka Prefecture, delegations of the South Korean
Construction Workers Union also joined the strike. In the Kansai area, six
concrete workers unions – the JFT (Japan Federation of Transport Workers
Unions), the UA Zensen (Japanese Federation of Textile, Chemical, Food,
Commercial, Service and General Workers' Unions), the Osaka Local of Zenkowan
(All Japan Dockworkers Union), the Kansai Local of Kenkoro (All Japan
Construction, Transport and General Workers' Union), the Kinki Asso (pumping)
Union, and the Kansai Concrete Local of Zennikken Solidarity Union, jointly
carried out a street action in front of Osaka Railway Station beyond the
framework of trade union national centers. (KOYANO Takeshi, Secretary General
of Zennikken)